Ferry Sinks Off Bali, Leaving 6 Dead and Dozens Missing – 2 July 2025

On 2 July 2025, the passenger ferry KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya sank in the Bali Strait approximately 30 minutes after departing Ketapang Port in East Java bound for Gilimanuk, Bali. The vessel went down in rough seas with 65 people onboard (53 passengers, 12 crew, and 22 vehicles). At least 6 confirmed fatalities have been reported, with dozens more unaccounted for as of the latest update.

Survivors reported a sudden severe list and suspected engine-room leak as the vessel rapidly filled with water. Rescue operations involving the Indonesian Navy, police, SAR teams, and local volunteers were paused overnight due to darkness and dangerous sea conditions (waves reaching 2.5 metres) and resumed at first light on 3 July. More than 100 personnel are engaged in the ongoing search and recovery effort.

Following the sinking, 31 people were rescued by helicopters, fishing boats, and nearby local vessels, many of them unconscious due to rough sea conditions and exhaustion. Rescue operations were suspended overnight on 2–3 July due to darkness, strong currents, and hazardous wave heights, then resumed at dawn on 3 July. Survivors were transported to hospitals in Gilimanuk and Jembrana; several remain in critical but stable condition. Authorities continue to monitor the sunken wreck, fearing some passengers may still be trapped inside the hull.

Passengers

• 53 passengers onboard at time of sinking.

Crew

• 12 crew members onboard.

Cargo

• 22 vehicles listed on manifest.

Fatalities

• At least 6 confirmed deaths reported; number may rise as search operations continue.

Injuries

• Several survivors in critical but stable condition at hospitals in Gilimanuk and Jembrana.

Rescued

• 31 people rescued by helicopters, fishing boats, and local vessels.

Missing

• Dozens unaccounted for; manifest discrepancies suspected due to common issues in domestic Indonesian maritime operations.

The Indonesian Navy, police, SAR teams, and local volunteers mobilised immediately, with more than 100 personnel engaged in search and rescue operations. President Prabowo Subianto, speaking from Saudi Arabia, ordered an emergency response and called for heightened coordination among rescue forces. Rescue efforts were paused overnight due to darkness and dangerous sea conditions (waves reaching 2.5 metres and strong currents) and resumed at first light on 3 July.

The KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya remains sunken in the Bali Strait. Authorities continue to monitor the wreck and fear that some passengers may still be trapped inside. The incident has reignited public concern over Indonesia's ferry safety standards, particularly on high-volume domestic routes connecting the archipelago's islands.